Other Chemical Engineering Commons^™

Effect Of Aerogel On The Thermal Performance Of Corrugated Composite Sandwich Structures, Jacob Dillon Chess

Master's Theses

Current insulation solutions across multiple industries, especially the commercial sector, can be bulky and ineffective when considering their volume. Aerogels are excellent insulators, exhibiting low thermal conductivities and low densities with a porosity of around 95%. Such characteristics make aerogels effective in decreasing conductive heat transfer within a solid. These requirements are crucial for aerospace and spaceflight applications, where sensitive components exist among extreme temperature environments. When implemented into insulation applications, aerogel can perform better than existing technology while using less material, which limits the amount of volume allocated for insulation. The application of these materials into composites can result …

Low Temperature Desiccants In Atmospheric Water Generation., Sunil Gupta

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Surging global water demand as well as changes to weather patterns and over exploitation of natural water sources, such as ground water, has made potable water a critical resource in many parts of the World already – one rapidly heading towards a crisis situation. Desalination has been adopted as a solution – this is however energy intensive and impractical for most of the developing countries - those most in need of water. A renewable source of energy is solar thermal and solar photovoltaic. A plentiful source of water is the humidity in the atmosphere. This research is to push the …

Nanoparticle Catalytic Enhancement Of Carbon Dioxide Reforming Of Methane For Hydrogen Production, Nicholas Groden

Doctoral Dissertations

The U.S. produces 5559.6 million metric tons of carbon dioxide annually, of which 21% is produced by industrial processes. Steam reforming, an industrial process that accounts for 95% of all hydrogen production in industry, produces 134.5 million metric tons of carbon dioxide or around 11% of the total carbon dioxide produced by industry. This carbon dioxide is then either emitted or goes through a sequestration process that accounts for 75% of the plant's operational costs. An alternative reaction to steam reforming is dry reforming, which utilizes carbon dioxide rather than emitting it and can be used in conjunction with current …

Development Of A Simple Lab-Scale Vacuum Assisted Resin Transfer Molding (Vartm) Process, Donald A. Klosterman

Chemical and Materials Engineering Faculty Publications

The goal of the current study was to develop and demonstrate a simple and quick lab-scale VARTM process for the purpose of making flat panels for subsequent characterization, for example in new materials development efforts. This process was not intended to be optimized for final production, rather it served as the quickest way to make lab-scale composite panels using VARTM while maintaining all the salient features of typical VARTM processes used in larger scale manufacturing. There is a wide variety of ways to implement VARTM, as well as a diverse list of potential materials and supplies from which to choose. …

Suitability Of Active And Intelligent Packaging For Local And Organic Food – A Case Study In Southern Finland, Sara Paunonen, Marja Pitkänen, Mika Vähä-Nissi, Ville Leminen, Mika Kainusalmi

Journal of Applied Packaging Research

This study explores the suitability of innovative packaging for local and organic food. Attitudes and opinions in local and organic food chains in Southern Finland were collected via eighteen semi-structural interviews. The respondents were small-scale producers and processors of fish, meat, berries, and mushrooms, wholesalers, retailers, and institutional kitchens. The aim of this study was to understand factors promoting and preventing the penetration of innovative packaging solutions into the organic and local food market. A clear majority (89%) of respondents considered active and intelligent solutions to be equally suitable for local and organic food as for conventional food. However, less …

Sulfate Removal From Mine Impacted Waters, Tyler Shock

Chemical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Woo Pig Sulfate (WPS) has developed two methods for reducing levels of calcium sulfate in mine impacted waters, a “hot process” and a two-stage nanofiltration process. Both processes were designed to treat gypsum saturated water that is currently being pumped via interceptor wells to prevent the spread of a sulfate plume into a nearby community. Each solution was designed for Freeport McMoran’s Sierrita mine in Green Valley, Arizona, which was visited in order to gain insight about the problem. Below 250 ppm on the treated stream, nanofiltration and the hot process achieve overall recoveries of 84 and 99%, respectively. The …

Direct Potable Reuse Of Wastewater, Dakota Rusk, Molly Churchwell, Lauren Clark, Sabrina Castle, Boyce Bethel, Aaron Henry

Chemical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Water is essential to our societies and mankind. Currently, 844 million people across the globe lack access to potable water. By 2025, it is projected that half of the world population will be in a region of water stress. The water crisis is often thought of as a problem limited to places that have always struggled to have clean water, but it is now affecting new areas such as the southwest United States. With increasing population demands and drought, the feasibility of direct potable reuse (DPR) of wastewater is being considered. According to an EPA report in 2017, there are …

Direct Potable Reuse Of Wastewater, Aaron Henry, Molly Churchwell, Lauren Clark, Boyce Bethel, Dakota Rusk, Sabrina Castle

Chemical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Water is essential to our societies and mankind. Currently, 844 million people across the globe lack access to potable water. By 2025, it is projected that half of the world population will be in a region of water stress.5 The water crisis is often thought of as a problem limited to places that have always struggled to have clean water, but it is now affecting new areas such as the southwest United States. With increasing population demands and drought, the feasibility of direct potable reuse (DPR) of wastewater is being considered. According to an EPA report in 2017, there are …

Direct Potable Reuse Of Wastewater, Lauren Clark

Chemical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Water is essential to our societies and mankind. Currently, 844 million people across the globe lack access to potable water. By 2025, it is projected that half of the world population will be in a region of water stress.⁵ The water crisis is often thought of as a problem limited to places that have always struggled to have clean water, but it is now affecting new areas such as the southwest United States. With increasing population demands and drought, the feasibility of direct potable reuse (DPR) of wastewater is being considered. According to an EPA report in 2017, there …

Direct Potable Reuse Of Wastewater, Sabrina Castle

Chemical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Water is essential to our societies and mankind. Currently, 844 million people across the globe lack access to potable water. By 2025, it is projected that half of the world population will be in a region of water stress.5 The water crisis is often thought of as a problem limited to places that have always struggled to have clean water, but it is now affecting new areas such as the southwest United States. With increasing population demands and drought, the feasibility of direct potable reuse (DPR) of wastewater is being considered. According to an EPA report in 2017, there are …

Direct Potable Reuse Of Wastewater, Molly Churchwell

Chemical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Water is essential to our societies and mankind. Currently, 844 million people across the globe lack access to potable water. By 2025, it is projected that half of the world population will be in a region of water stress.5 The water crisis is often thought of as a problem limited to places that have always struggled to have clean water, but it is now affecting new areas such as the southwest United States. With increasing population demands and drought, the feasibility of direct potable reuse (DPR) of wastewater is being considered. According to an EPA report in 2017, there are …

Removal Of Carbamazepine From Drinking Water, Zachary Wiese

Chemical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Due to the increasing prevalence of prescription medication over the past few

decades, pharmaceuticals have accumulated in various water sources. This has become a

public health concern because many pharmaceuticals have limited research on the effects

of chronic low-level exposure. According to the World’s Health Organization (WHO),

traces of pharmaceuticals products have been reported in different water sources such as

surface waters, wastewater, groundwater, and drinking water.[1] One pharmaceutical of

interest that has been detected in water sources is carbamazepine. Carbamazepine is a

common pharmaceutical prescribed for the treatment of seizure disorders, neuropathic

pain, and various psychological disorders. It’s mechanism …

Removal Of Carbamazepine From Drinking Water, Paola Marrero-Rivera, Adam Johnson, Jordan Alex Gadberry, Juan Rodriguez, Thomas Krumpolc, Zach Wiese

Chemical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Due to the increasing prevalence of prescription medication over the past few decades, pharmaceuticals have accumulated in various water sources. This has become a public health concern because many pharmaceuticals have limited research on the effects of chronic low-level exposure.One pharmaceutical of interest that has been detected in water sources is carbamazepine. Carbamazepine (CBZ) is a common pharmaceutical prescribed for the treatment of seizure disorders, neuropathic pain, and various psychological disorders. It’s mechanism of action is “sodium channel blocking,” which is the impairment of conduction of sodium ions in sodium channels. This, in effect, reduces nervous-system conductivity in key areas …

A Proposed Process And Economic Analysis For A Manufacturing Facility For Nylon 6,6, Perry Doles

Chemical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

The global nylon market is a multi-billion-dollar industry that has been thriving in recent years due to advances in the process technology and its flexibility as a material. Nylon 6,6 is a versatile material with uses in many industries because of its ability manipulated into many forms. It is commonly used in applications that require heat resistance, chemical resistance, and high mechanical strength. It is commonly used in luggage, car parts, carpets, and many other plastic products that require the properties that nylon 6,6 exhibits. The versatility and demand for nylon 6,6 make it an attractive process for many potential …

Removal Of Carbamazepine From Drinking Water, Jordan Alex Gadberry, Adam Johnson, Juan Rodriguez, Paola Marrero-Rivera, Tom Krumpolc, Zach Wiese

Chemical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Due to the increasing prevalence of prescription medication over the past few decades, pharmaceuticals have accumulated in various water sources. This has become a public health concern because many pharmaceuticals have limited research on the effects of chronic low-level exposure. According to the World’s Health Organization (WHO), traces of pharmaceuticals products have been reported in different water sources such as surface waters, wastewater, groundwater, and drinking water.^[1] One pharmaceutical of interest that has been detected in water sources is carbamazepine. Carbamazepine (CBZ) is a common pharmaceutical prescribed for the treatment of seizure disorders, neuropathic pain, and various psychological disorders. …

Sulfate Removal From Mine Impacted Waters, Luis Sagarnaga

Chemical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Woo Pig Sulfate (WPS) has developed two methods for reducing levels of calcium sulfate in mine impacted waters, a “hot process” and a two-stage nanofiltration process. Both processes were designed to treat gypsum saturated water that is currently being pumped via interceptor wells to prevent the spread of a sulfate plume into a nearby community. Each solution was designed for Freeport McMoran’s Sierrita mine in Green Valley, Arizona, which was visited in order to gain insight about the problem. Below 250 ppm on the treated stream, nanofiltration and the hot process achieve overall recoveries of 84 and 99%, respectively. The …

Direct Potable Reuse Of Wastewater, Boyce Bethel

Chemical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Water is essential to our societies and mankind. Currently, 844 million people across the globe lack access to potable water. By 2025, it is projected that half of the world population will be in a region of water stress.⁵ The water crisis is often thought of as a problem limited to places that have always struggled to have clean water, but it is now affecting new areas such as the southwest United States. With increasing population demands and drought, the feasibility of direct potable reuse (DPR) of wastewater is being considered. According to an EPA report in 2017, there …

Enhancing Performance Of Ionic Liquid Property Prediction With Molecular Dynamics., Trisha H. Patel

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Molecular dynamics have been used to predict thermodynamic and transport properties of eight room-temperature ionic liquids. Simulation parameters including box size and van der Waals cutoffs were varied. The density, heat capacity, and self-diffusion coefficients of the ionic liquids were computed and compared to experimental data and to previously published simulations. Predicted properties were generally close to their experimentally observed values. It was determined that the prediction of ionic liquid properties via molecular dynamics simulations could be accelerated several-fold by using less stringent integration parameters and smaller simulation sizes. The properties of density and heat capacity did not change significantly …

Comparing Stenotic Blood Flow In Three- And Two-Dimensional Arterial Renderings Using Computational Fluid Dynamics And Multiphase Mean Age Theory., Jacob S. Garza

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Over one million invasive coronary angiography procedures are performed annually in patients who experience chest pain or are known to have coronary artery disease. The procedure is carried out to ascertain the degree of arterial blockage (stenosis) that hinders blood flow to the heart. A cardiologist performing the procedure determines the physiological degree of a stenosis by either visual estimation, which is routine practice, or by invasively measuring fractional flow reserve (FFR), which is the current gold standard that has been demonstrated to improve patient outcomes and temper the cost of healthcare. Nevertheless, FFR is performed in only 10–20% of …

Distillation Optimization In The Pharmaceutical Industry, Clayton Carter

Honors Theses

Distillations are commonly used throughout industry to perform separations by phase change. producing a liquid phase and vapor distillate. However. the process of distilling can be slow and energy intensive, providing a limitation in the production process. Possible improvements to current distillation systems were considered on the basis of thermal efficiency, material throughput (cycle time), and material tolerance. Consideration was given to ensure maintenance is straightforward and relatively quick, as fouling, contamination and tank utilization were concerns. Economic viability of the improvements was completed to determine the project benefit. The optimized design offers increased efficiency for production lines.

Natural Polymer Barrier Coatings For Oil And Grease Resistance, Andrew Kathan

Honors Theses

Many barrier coating formulations currently used for oil and grease resistance development in the paper industry have issues with sustainability, biodegradation, or have health concerns associated with them. This thesis tests two starches as barrier coatings to develop oil and grease resistance for food grade packaging sheets. Starch is compatible with almost all papermaking chemicals, is biodegradable, and is easily treated in wastewater systems making it a great candidate to create a more sustainable barrier coating. Cooked hydrophobic starch esters have a unique shear-thinning rheology that allow for high solid starch coatings to be applied with a reduced risk of …

Economic Analysis Of Reactive Distillation In The Production Of Tert-Amyl Methyl Ether (Tame), Clayton Brandenburg

Senior Theses

Aspen HYSYS was used to make two flowsheets, one with plug flow reactors and distillation columns and another with a reactive distillation column, to see which flowsheet was better at producing tert-amyl methyl ether (TAME) and which one was more economically feasible. The goal was to produce 15,000 metric tons of TAME per year by reacting a naptha stream with methanol. It was found that both flowsheets were capable of producing the desired amounts of TAME and with product purities around 100%. The conversions of the reactive distillation was 93.93%, significantly higher than the 72.48% and 76.98% in the base …

Sum Frequency Generation Spectroscopy Of Simulated Protein Secondary Structures., Andrew J. Adams

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Sum frequency generation (SFG) spectroscopy is an experimental technique for differentiating between various conformations and orientations of interfacial proteins. Combining a theoretical framework for SFG with molecular dynamics (MD) simulations provides a powerful tool for studying systems containing interfacial proteins with applications in cell transport, biofilms, and fermentation processes. Roeters’ method was used to calculate theoretical SFG responses for a variety of individual α-helix and β-sheet peptide secondary structures simulated using MD. Results show how the shape and locations of SFG amide I responses change with differences in hydrogen bonding patterns, peptide orientations, and SFG polarization combinations. The data presented …

Evaluation Of Silane-Doped Epoxy Coatings For Resisting Aluminum Corrosion By Oxalic Acid, An A. Niger Metabolite, Alex Pica

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The goal of this study was to investigate whether silane-doped epoxy coatings are capable of preventing corrosion of aluminum alloy 2024-T3 by oxalic acid, one of the primary metabolites of the fungus Aspergillus Niger. Previous research suggested the success of these types of coatings at preventing AA 2024-T3 corrosion in saline solutions, and this study was meant to build on those findings by investigating the efficacy of the coating in an acidic environment.

Each coating was applied to an AA 2024-T3 coupon by dissolving the epoxy and varying amounts of 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane in acetone and then dripping the solution onto …

Environmentally Friendly Alternates To Chemlok 233 Adhesive Cement, Madeline M. Busch

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The purpose of this project was to determine and qualify suitable, environmentally friendly replacement(s) for the current Chemlok 233 adhesive cement used by UTC Aerospace. Chemlok 233 was discontinued by the manufacturer based on the availability of a hazardous solvent (Trichloroethylene – TCE). The Chemlok 233 Control and four Experimental alternates with similar properties were lab tested for adhesion strength in various UTC proprietary cement specifications. The specifications modeled Chemlok’s uses in the construction of pneumatic de-icers. Chemlok 2332 was selected for use in Cement A, and Chemlok 402 was chosen for use in Cement B based on their highest …

Interfacial Corrosion Of Copper And The Formation Of Copper Hydroxychloride, Mary Teague, Shengxi Li, Hongbo Cong

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Electrical circuitry is an industry, among many others, heavily using the element of copper. Ensuring the mechanical integrity of Cu is crucial, especially in salt environments, for the multifaceted composition of circuits. 4N NaCl solution (equilibrium concentration in ~84% RH) simulated this three-phase system. Rectangular Cu samples were partially immersed in both ambient and continuous lab air sparging atmospheres to understand waterline corrosion of the metal. Open circuit potentials (OCP) were continuously taken during the immersion testing for a maximum of 5 days. A scanning electron microscopy (SEM) equipped with an energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer (EDS), Raman spectroscopy, and 3-D …

Residence Time Distribution Of Mixing Based On Mathematical Modeling, Michelle Ayers

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Two different mathematical models were investigated for their use in describing the residence time distribution (RTD) of an industrial mixer. The first model investigated was the tanks-in-series model, while the second model was a combination of two branches of tanks-in-series. The tanks-in-series model is capable of characterizing the mixing present in the flow, but cannot detect non-idealities in flow such as bypassing and dead space. The multi-branch model has mathematical complexity, but it uses the second branch of flow to detect the presence of this non-ideal flow, determine if it is dead space of bypassing, and characterize how well-mixed the …

Investigation Of Scanning Kelvin Probe Techniques, Nicholas D'Angelo Jr., Hongbo Cong

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The original scope of this work was to advance the understanding of corrosion properties of additively manufactured (AM) materials by correlating microstructural defects in AM materials to the material conventional counterparts utilizing a scanning kelvin probe [Ametek VeraSCAN Electrochemical System]. However, upon the initiation of project research, it was observed that the system was not operational due to unknown hardware and software problems. The evolved scope of this work was to reconcile the operational issues and develop a repair and mitigation plan. After extensive troubleshooting, it was determined that the software was not properly configured, and the electrometer had permanently …

Vanadium Redox Flow Batteries: Design And Experimentation, Matthew George

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Vanadium flow batteries (VFB) are a type of battery that has potential as a grid-scale energy storage solution. An original design for a lab-scale VFB is presented herein, along with a procedure for electrolyte preparation from V₂O₅ using oxalic acid. The flow cell is constructed from Delrin, Teflon, Kynar, Santoprene, Nafion, graphite plate, and porous carbon. Two diaphragm pumps along with polyethylene, PVC, and Santoprene tubing are used. The active area is 58 cm². The battery was charged using a DC power supply at a constant current of 4 A with corresponding initial voltage of …

Modeling The Effect Thickener Structure Has On The Oil Release Of Grease, Dana Cressman

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Our hypothesis was that the thickener type and micelle concentration of grease affected its viscoelastic properties. Measurements were made using a TA AR G2 rheometer and calculations were made using TA rheometer analysis software to characterize the viscoelastic response of grease under oscillatory shear and frequency tests. The oscillatory frequency tests determined the critical micelle concentration. The oscillatory stress tests were taken at temperatures from 5 to 65 degrees Celsius to create a master curve based on time temperature superposition of the measurements. The crossover points of G’ and G” on the oscillatory stress tests demonstrated where the grease transitions …